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League of Chicago Theatres

The League of Chicago Theatres is proud to serve a membership of more than 200 theaters, a rich and varied theater community ranging from storefront, non-union theaters with budgets under $10,000 to major cultural centers with multi-million dollar shows. No other theater service organization in the country has such a diverse theater membership. Whether you call yourself a Chicagoan or are just visiting for the weekend, the League of Chicago Theatres is your source for Chicago theater.

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Explore the Chicago theatre scene, interact with fellow theatre-goers, follow your favorite theatre company, and recommend that amazing show you saw last weekend. Free and open to anyone - be part of the Chicagoplays community!

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Theatre Thursdays

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August Wilson Monologue Competition
Open to Chicago area high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the competition gives students an opportunity to explore and share the richness of August Wilson’s Century Cycle.

Annual League Gala
Our Annual Gala will take place on Monday, May 21, 2018 to support the League in our mission to sustain a thriving theatre industry.

Oh Canada! The Canadian Brass join the Grant Park Orchestra for an evening of symphonic suites, blues and the Beatles, all with a Canadian flair, in honor of Canada's sesquicentennial. Lucas Waldin conducts.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Hear the Latin Mass transformed as Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts the Festival premiere of Missa Latina, the large-scale choral work by Puerto Rican-American composer Roberto Sierra that mixes traditional Latin and contemporary concert music with the irresistible dance rhythms of the Caribbean.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

From Page to Stage Series - Wrongful Convictions: From Leo Frank to Today Writers Theatre and select North Shore libraries are proud to present the tenth annual From Page to Stage series. This comprehensive series of special events, lectures, workshops, and performances are designed to enhance and enrich your appreciation of Parade.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 7:00pmHosted by Vernon Area Public Library | 300 Olde Half Day Rd, Lincolnshire, IL 60069

Parade tells the story of Leo Frank, a Jewish man falsely accused of murder in 1913 Atlanta. Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions (CWC) aims to reform the criminal justice system so that the events leading up to Leo Frank's untimely end are not repeated. CWC attorney Judy Royal discusses common causes of wrongful convictions and the CWC's most significant victories, plus meet an exoneree who benefited from CWCs work.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Reservation is required. To reserve your seat, please click here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Join Sideshow Theatre for the 3rd Annual FRESHNESS INITIATIVEEach year Sideshow Theatre Company invites three of Chicago's hottest playwrights to develop brand new, full-length, totally fresh works inside the laboratory of The Freshness Initiative. During the year-long program, Sideshow artists and staff work with each resident writer to develop plays that intersect, explore and explode Sideshow’s aesthetic and mission. The result is three bold, fresh works for the stage that push audiences' expectations of what a Sideshow play might be.Monday, June 26, 2017 at 7:30pmat Victory Gardens Theater | 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614

Something CleanBy Selina Fillinger Directed by Lauren Shouse

Charlotte has been a mother for nineteen years, a wife for three decades, and a respectable community member her entire life. But when her only child is incarcerated for sexual assault, her once immaculate world is forever tainted. Selina Fillinger’s intimate new drama, Something Clean, follows one woman struggling to make sense of her own grief, love, and culpability.

This event is FREE and open to the public. To RSVP, email tickets@sideshowtheatre.org.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Writers Theatre's The Making Of Series Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of the shows you love? For each production, Writers Theatre offers insight into a different aspect of creating theatre to a group of Writers Theatre patrons. Enjoy a short and lively presentation by their designers and other experts, who will walk you through the process of preparing for and executing a show.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Chicago Dramatists' Saturday Series: JUNEPlaywrights, theatre artists, and the general public convene in the Chicago Dramatists' theatre to witness the birth of a new work for the stage and to participate in its development by offering feedback to its playwright. The plays are always directed and rehearsed and are presented with minimal staging. After each reading, the audience members are invited to fill out written response sheets and to join in a post-reading discussion.

The Woman, the Dog, and the MacheteBy Resident Playwright Dana Lynn FormbyDirected by Steven Wilson

A man is on trial for assault and battery with a deadly weapon and animal abuse. 12 jurors hold his fate in their hands. Will the evidence favor his freedom or find a way for him to join his brother in prison?

This event is FREE ($7 suggested donation at the door) and open to the public.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

The season heats up with Khachaturian's festive Armenian Piano Concerto with American pianist Conrad Tao, along with Stravinsky's heroic masterpiece, The Firebird. The evening begins with the Midwest premiere of David Schiff's Infernal, a jazzy tribute to Stravinsky's Firebird.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

From Page to Stage Series - Film Screening: The People v. Leo Frank Writers Theatre and select North Shore libraries are proud to present the tenth annual From Page to Stage series. This comprehensive series of special events, lectures, workshops, and performances are designed to enhance and enrich your appreciation of Parade.

Join Writers for a screening of this docudrama by Ben Loeterman, which uses transcripts of the actual words spoken by the participants in Leo Frank's trial to dramatize those events. Put yourself in the shoes of a jury member as they grapple with the question: guilty or not guilty?

This event is FREE and open to the public. Reservation is required. To reserve your seat, please click here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Join the Orchestra for Beethoven's classic Fourth Symphony, along with American composer Aaron Copland's homage, Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson with soprano Susanna Phillips in her Festival debut. Wagner's orchestral interpretation of the Faust overture opens the program.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Illinois Humanities presents An Evening at the Pekin TheatreBronzeville’s Pekin Theatre, often called the “Temple of Music,” was the first Black-owned and -operated stock theatre company in the United States. The Pekin opened the first all-Black show ever produced in Chicago on June 18th, 1905 to an estimated crowd of 400 patrons. Join Illinois Humanities just one day shy of 112 years later as they reanimate history at the corner of 27th and S. State Street with an evening of ragtime-era performances by MacArthur-winning pianist Reginald Robinson and some of Chicago’s other most talented artists and musicians.

Saturday, June 17, 2017 at 7:00pmat the Northwest Corner of 27th and South State Streets

Directed by Cheryl Lynn Bruce Written by McKenzie Chinn Musical Arrangements by William Hayes

In partnership with Empty Bottle Presents With generous support from the Joyce Foundation

An Evening at the Pekin Theatre is proud to be a part of the 2017 Year of Public Art Chicago.

This live, outdoor concert is FREE and open to the public. For more information, please click here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Chicago Dramatists' Saturday Series: JUNEPlaywrights, theatre artists, and the general public convene in the Chicago Dramatists' theatre to witness the birth of a new work for the stage and to participate in its development by offering feedback to its playwright. The plays are always directed and rehearsed and are presented with minimal staging. After each reading, the audience members are invited to fill out written response sheets and to join in a post-reading discussion.

When They CameBy Resident Playwright MT CozzolaDirected by Jeremy Aluma

In When They Came, the citizens of a typical American town recover from the loss of a group of aliens who had come to them in need of a new home. The citizens defend their actions, interrogate each other, and reveal their deepest hopes and fears as they seek to explain, as a community, how their hospitable intentions resulted in disaster.

This event is FREE ($7 suggested donation at the door) and open to the public.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Congo Square Theatre Company presents the 2017 Jambalaya SeriesJoin Congo Square for two weekends of staged readings and fun after dark with Congo Square! Featuring a sneak peek at the World Premiere of Jaret Landon's innovative opera Strange Land. Staged readings of plays were submitted to Congo Square through the August Wilson New Play Initiative (AWNPI).

These events are FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited. For more information and to reserve tickets, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

The Grant Park Chorus join the Orchestra for Vaughan Williams' monumental A Sea Symphony, based on Walt Whitman's celebrated poetry collection, Leaves of Grass. Sweeping and bold, it is paired with orchestral works from Benjamin Britten's beautiful and terrifying opera, Peter Grimes.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Carlos Kalmar and the Grant Park Orchestra open the Festival's 2017 season with one of the most enduring violin concertos of all time featuring Vadim Gluzman. The evening gets started with Alfvén's Festival Overture and a medley of the best-known music from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, pleaseclick here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

¡Costo: Gratis! This event is FREE and open to the public. To reserve your tickets, please click here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

From Page to Stage Series - . . .Fair Treatment To All: The Anti-Defamation League Writers Theatre and select North Shore libraries are proud to present the tenth annual From Page to Stage series. This comprehensive series of special events, lectures, workshops, and performances are designed to enhance and enrich your appreciation of Parade.

The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 "to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all," partially in response to Leo Frank's ordeal that same year. We are honored to host representatives of ADL and discuss their history, the inclusive work that they do and the resonance of Parade in today's society.

This event is FREE and open to the public. Reservation is required. To reserve your seat, please click here.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Chicago Dramatists' Saturday Series: JUNEPlaywrights, theatre artists, and the general public convene in the Chicago Dramatists' theatre to witness the birth of a new work for the stage and to participate in its development by offering feedback to its playwright. The plays are always directed and rehearsed and are presented with minimal staging. After each reading, the audience members are invited to fill out written response sheets and to join in a post-reading discussion.

ScrapbookChicago Dramatists' Resident Alumni playwrights, current Residents, Writer's Studio Members and Tutterow Fellows will present ten minute plays responding to this year’s prompt: Edvard Munch’s The Scream. At this reunion of their favorite playwrights, Chicago Dramatists will celebrate where they've been and where they're going, join Chicago Dramatists afterwards for a celebration!

This event is FREE ($7 suggested donation at the door) and open to the public.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

Writers Theatre's The Making Of Series Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of the shows you love? For each production, Writers Theatre offers insight into a different aspect of creating theatre to a group of Writers Theatre patrons. Enjoy a short and lively presentation by their designers and other experts, who will walk you through the process of preparing for and executing a show.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.

The New Colony Theatre's Staged Reading of Where Have They Gone?Presented as part of The New Colony’s Writers’ Room. Join The New Colony for a sneak peek at one of their works in development! The reading will be followed by a brief talkback.

For the past five years, seventeen year old Norelle and her mother Gwendolyn have found refuge in a haven created for black women in order to mentally escape the trauma of losing the black men in their lives due to death and incarceration. With Norelle’s upcoming eighteenth birthday, she has to make the choice of whether to stay in the town permanently or leave the only family she has left. Norelle then meets Cory, a young man dealing with his own inner turmoil. Together, they form a bond which causes Norelle to become more uncertain of her decision than ever before.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

"Behind the Curtain" is a special section of ChicagoPlays.com listing free events that enhance and complement your theatre-going experiences. Get an inside look at local Chicago theatre companies through forums, panel discussions, community events, and even parties. Planning to attend this "Behind the Curtain" event? Post about it on Twitter with the hashtag #BehindTheCurtain. For more upcoming events, visit http://bit.ly/behindcurtain.